dmb8886Senior MemberJoined: 7 May 2009Posts: 7Location: New YorkExpertise: I live coffee

Posted Wed Nov 21, 2012, 9:34am Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress

Quick question regarding the Aeropress, just started using it recently it's much better than any home brewed coffee or french press than I've ever had by a mile.

I like Starbucks Italian Roast brewed coffee (I know most frown on starbucks). So I had Starbucks grind my coffee for french press I think it was. However it was too coarse for me and I was hoping for a bit more richness/boldness. So the next time I had them do the "Turkish" grind setting. Well this was a disaster. The aeropress won't even work with it! When I poured the water in and gave it a stir, it turned into a sludge and a paste, so when I went to plunge it there was too much pressure and no water would separate from the sludge! To be honest, some did initially and I was able to get a little bit out of it playing around to make it work , but for the most part it wouldn't work and would not plunge all the way because there was too much pressure.

So anyway, does that mean the Aeropress doesn't work if you grind the coffee to fine?

I've never tried "Turkish" grind, but I have found that really fine grinds can be a bit difficult if I'm pressing more than three scoops. That said, my experience, using the AP mostly with paper filters, is that the best results come with the grind as fine as is practical, and the time rather shorter than you'd think and temperature as Alan suggests it - 175-185. Not everyone here agrees, by a long shot.

I would go for an espresso grind, maybe a little coarser, and use a little less than two scoops. I mainly make espresso but I still make an Aeropress shot from time to time. When I do I set my grind to a slightly coarser setting than if I were making espresso. I also use two scoops of beans. A Turkish grind is definitely too fine.

Quick question regarding the Aeropress, just started using it recently it's much better than any home brewed coffee or french press than I've ever had by a mile.

I like Starbucks Italian Roast brewed coffee (I know most frown on starbucks). So I had Starbucks grind my coffee for french press I think it was. However it was too coarse for me and I was hoping for a bit more richness/boldness. So the next time I had them do the "Turkish" grind setting. Well this was a disaster. The aeropress won't even work with it! When I poured the water in and gave it a stir, it turned into a sludge and a paste, so when I went to plunge it there was too much pressure and no water would separate from the sludge! To be honest, some did initially and I was able to get a little bit out of it playing around to make it work , but for the most part it wouldn't work and would not plunge all the way because there was too much pressure.

So anyway, does that mean the Aeropress doesn't work if you grind the coffee to fine?

Our instruction sheet recommends "fine drip grind". My own preference is between drip and espresso for 2 or more scoops. For a single scoop I've never found a grind that was too fine. But you must push gently. Because if you push hard the coffee compacts and blocks the flow.

He was very kind to the AeroPress which he said is, "bar none, my favorite brewing method". He also included two pages of instruction on the inverted method. He recommended not exceeding 180F water temp.

I've today managed to get my Kaffeologie S Filter into the same place as my Aeropress - initial impressions using it for a couple of cups with the following recipe are that it does significantly increase the body over the standard paper filters (even with an inverted method), that virtually no sediment gets past it, and that it's nicely robust and easy to handle, even when hot from brewing. I'm going to have to amend my recipe a little for use with it, so this isn't the final word on it.

Recipe:2 flat standard coffee scoops of Rao's Yirgacheffe, light roast (maybe 2 months old, from the local Wholefoods, and about FC to my eye), ground 1 step coarser than drip on Bodum Bistro conical burr grinderAdd coffee to inverted press (plunger inserted about 3-5mm into body)Add water 30s off of boil (sea-level, measured at 94-95C on previous occasions) until bloom reaches top.Stir in bloom.Add water until remaining bloom reaches top.Place cap and filter on top, steep for 2.5 minutesInvert and press out.

I think I need to try slightly finer grind, shorter time and slightly cooler water next time. Maybe 45-60s off of boil, and 2 minutes steep.

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